This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure and privacy policy.
This Cabbage Salad is tossed with a sweet sesame-lime dressing that will leave you craving more. It makes a delicious alternative to creamy coleslaw!
This salad makes the perfect side dish to bring to a party, or you can turn it into a meal by adding your favorite protein on top. You can also use it in tacos or add it to a sandwich for extra flavor!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Shredded cabbage and carrots are the base of this crunchy slaw, but you can reach for a bag of store-bought coleslaw mix to cut down on the prep time. Paired with fresh cilantro and green onions, this salad has a delicious combination of textures and flavors.
I tend to use red or green cabbage when making this salad, but napa cabbage or savoy cabbage can be used, as well. Feel free to add any other vegetables you like, such as red bell peppers or thinly sliced red onion, too.
This salad dressing is made with minimal oil, and if you’re not a fan of toasted sesame seed oil, feel free to swap it for olive oil, instead. You can also add any nuts or seeds you love for some crunch!
How to Make the Best Cabbage Salad
To prepare the cabbage salad dressing, combine the lime juice, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, honey, and salt in a large bowl. Use a whisk to mix well, then set it aside while you chop the veggies.
Use a sharp knife and cutting board to chop the cilantro and green onions. If you’re working with a whole head of green cabbage, remove the outer leaves, then finely slice it.
You’ll most likely only need half a head of cabbage for this recipe (about 1 pound). Feel free to use red cabbage or a mix of both for extra color.
Next, shred the carrots using a box grater or food processor attachment.
Add the chopped veggies and fresh herbs to the bowl of dressing, and toss well until everything is coated. Let the salad marinate for 10 to 15 minutes for the best flavor.
Taste the salad and make any adjustments as needed. Add an extra splash of lime juice or vinegar to make the flavor tart, or add a little more honey for extra sweetness.
You can also add an extra pinch of salt or a splash of soy sauce to boost the overall flavor. Or, add a few crushed red pepper flakes or freshly ground black pepper for some spice.
If you’d like to add extra crunchiness, add sliced almonds, cashews, or walnuts just before serving. Garnish with a few sesame seeds if you like, and serve chilled.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Serve it with baked chicken on top for a complete meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Coleslaw typically refers to a salad that is tossed in a creamy dressing. This cabbage salad is tossed with a bright vinaigrette, which makes it unlike traditional coleslaw but it could similarly be served with fish tacos or in sandwiches.
You can make this salad a complete meal by topping it with baked chicken breasts, salmon, or shrimp. It also works well as a side dish for Pad Thai or Cauliflower Tacos.
Yes, you can swap the apple cider vinegar for white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, or champagne vinegar. If you don’t have lime juice on hand, lemon juice will work here, too!
Looking for more cabbage salad recipes? Try Asian Cabbage Salad, Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing, or my popular Detox Salad with Lemon Ginger Dressing.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- 1 pound shredded cabbage (about ½ head)
- 2 shredded carrots (or 1 cup)
- 3 green onions , chopped (about ½ cup)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro , chopped
- ½ cup sliced almonds (optional crunch)
Cabbage Salad Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 garlic clove , minced (about 1 teaspoon)
- 1 inch fresh ginger , minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Combine the lime juice, vinegar, honey, toasted sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk well to combine.
- Add the shredded cabbage, carrots, green onion, and cilantro, then toss well to coat everything with the dressing. Allow the salad to marinate for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Taste the salad again just before serving, and make any adjustments as needed. Add extra salt to boost the flavor, or a pinch of black pepper or red pepper flakes for extra spice. Top with sliced almonds for added crunch, and enjoy!
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this cabbage salad recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it.
Hi. Im older and don’t do facebook or instagram. I also hate cooking and like you trying to change my eating habits. I can follow a recipe but Im neither ADVENTUROUS or creative. Ive bought all this healthy stuff and now I don’t know what to do with it. Do you have any ideas for an easy recipe for shredded cabbage,and quorn,
Egg roll in a bowl : )
Loved this salad! Thank you for sharing it.
I just made this and the flavor is just what I wanted, a hint of ginger, light sesame oil with citrus. I can see that this won’t last long in my household. I substituted 1 medium garlic clove for the shallots and I added raw almonds. I can’t wait to have this tomorrow after the dressing has blended well with the salad. Thank you for this great recipe~!
Just made this and its amazingly good. Tweaked the dressing a bit and used half stevia…I also added fresh parsely and basil I had in the garden.
Great way to use that 1/2 a cabbage you forget about! Super delicious, someone just gifted me from honey from their hives, so I used it, modified to 1Tbl. And was perfect for me. Threw in toasted sesame seeds and some hemp hearts for a little texture and color. Thanks for your wonderful recipes!
As a raw food vegan I’m always looking for new ways to prepare raw vegetables. This salad turned out wonderful. It was crunchy and sweet and tangy. I will be making it a lot in the future.
I just made this yesterday and it is AMAZING! I agree that one needs to taper the dressing to one’s taste as some people like more sweet and others more tart. I doubles this recipe…and used 3 limes for 1/2 cup juice. But for the honey, I only used 3 tablespoons instead of 4 and then slowly added a small amount of stevia (natural sweetener) to get the dressing to exactly my taste….and I added more sesame oil than what was recommended, and subsituted garlic instead of shallot as I only had garlic on hand. This slaw is even better the next day! My boyfriend loved this too!! Thanks!!
Just made this and it tastes great! Added some crockpot shredded chicken. This will make a whole weeks worth of lunches for me!
Really good combination! I added some toasted sesame seeds also.
I wasn’t following you before now, even though I have been making your choco pb banana milkshakes for treats for my family fairly often after finding that recipe on Pinterest.
Today I did a Pinterest search for cabbage salad and this recipe came up and I’m planning to make it tonight. Because of that I am now following you on Pinterest, FB and Twitter for more healthy recipe inspiration 🙂 I am always trying something new!